Signal-flag for railroad-trains.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

M. J. HORAN. SIGNAL FLAG FOR RAILROAD TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

A T'IORNE VS MARTIN JOSEPH HORAN, OF HUGHESVILLE, MISSOURI.

SIGNAL-FLAG FOR-RAILROAD-TRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.,

Application filed May 13, 1907. Serial No. 373,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN JOSEPH HORAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hughesville, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Signal-Flag for Railroad-Trains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a signal flag for railroad trains to be used primarily on the pilot of a locomotive and on the rear car of a train to indicate to passing railroad employees and to the engineer that a train will follow and that a train is intact.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and easily adjustable flag made of plates or leaves of metal, painted the necessary colors to suit the uses to which it is put, pivoted together at one edge and having adjustable vmeans for fastening the leaves in fixed position whether spread open, or closed and in approximately contact.

The'invention is also designed to provide removable metal sheets or targets painted differently on opposite sides either side of which can be exposed as the outer faces of the plates or leaves, 'or hidden from view between said leaves. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a support for the flag whereby it may be held in a vertical position whether attached to an upright or angularly placed stafi".

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel combination, ement of parts hereconstruction and arran inafter described and c aimed.'

In the accom anying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the leaves or plates open. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, the signal flag and its adjusting mechanism turned to one side. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the stafi socket.

Similar numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The plates or leaves 1 and 2 which form the flag proper are made of metal, paper or other stiff lasting and weather resisting material. Projecting laterally from the upper and lower corners at one edge of the plates or leaves 1 and 2 are hinge members 3, 3 and 4,

. 4 on the respective leaves or plates the hinge members 3 of one plate are placed between those 4 of the other plate and all pivotally mounted on a stem 5 projecting upwardly from a staff socket 6 to which the stem is permanently secured. At the outer corners of the leaves 1 and 2 are fastened brackets 7 and 8 on the respective leaves; through the brackets 7 extends a pivotal vertical rod 9, while a similar rod 10 is pivoted in the brack-v ets 8.

Projecting horizontally from the socket 6 is an arm 11 provided at its outer end with a threaded hole for the stem 12 of a thumb screw 13. Beneath the arm 11 but above the head of the thumb screw 13 is a plate 14 perforated by a longitudinal slot 15 through which the stem of the thumb nut is passed. The outer end of the plate 14 has pivoted to it the lower ends of the vertical rods 9 and 10 which, after passing below the brackets 7 and 8 are bent at right angles to form arms 16 and 17 the extreme inner ends of which are formed into pivots to enter the forward end of the plate 14. The socket 6 mayhave a straight staff hole formed therein, or it may be supplied with two holes, one 18, straight or parallel to the axes of the stem 5, the other 19, inclined to the stem so that when ap lied to an angular flag support the stem wil retain its vertical position.

On each side of each vertical edge of the plates or leaves 1 and 2 is a groove 20 which may be placed thereon in any desirable Way, butas shown in the drawing, a strip of metal 21 of suitable length and width is doubled on itself and riveted to each vertical edge of the plates or leaves the edges of these strips are bent outward thus leaving parallel vertical grooves on each side of the leaves 1 and 2 down which a plate or target 22 of sheet metal may slide and cover any design, mark or color on that particular side of the leaf. For example, the outer faces of the leaves may be painted white and their inner faces green. The plates or targets will also be painted green on one side and white on the other. For removing the targets 22 each is provided with two finger pieces 23 and 24 bent in opposite directions. The leaves 1 and 2 are capable of adjustment at equal angles to the center line of the arm 11, as in Fig. 1 or, in parallel relation on either side of said arm as in Fig. 2.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A signal flag comprising two rigid plates hinged together at one of their vertical edges and provided with adjusting means below said plates for holding them in angularly open position or in parallel closed position.

socket supporting said stem, a horizontal arm projecting from said staff socket, a rod pivoted to the front of each leaf, and flexible adjusting connections between said rods and the horizontal arm.

4. A signal flag comprising a pair of plates or leaves hinged together on a stem, a staff socket carrying said stem, a pivoted rod on the free edge of each leaf and adjusting means below said leaves for holding said leaves separated a limited distance.

5. A signal flag comprising a pair of plates or leaves hinged together on a stem, a stall socketsupporting said stem, means for adjusting to a limited extent the hinged movement of said leaves or plates, and independent target plates adapted to slide in grooves formed on each side of said leaves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto al'lixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN JOSEPH l'lORAN.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY SCHMIDT, P. BRUCE. 

